Ball cart



y 16, 1967 E. s. STEVENS 3,319,798

BALL CART n Filed May 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I F J INVENTOR ERIC 8. STEVENS May 16, 1967 E. s. STEVENS BALL CART 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN T0 R ERIC 5. STEVENS Filed May 10, 1965 deem, JMW m ways.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,319,798 Patented May 16, 1967 3,319,798 BALL CART Eric S. Stevens, St. Charles, Mo., assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,291 21 Claims. (Cl. 211-) This invention relates in general to gravity feeding apparatus, and more particularly to a new and improved device for automatically feeding bowling balls to and from a bowling ball cleaning machine.

Various types of bowling ball cleaning machines are well known to those skilled in the art, and generally are designed for customer use wherein a single ball is inserted in the machine for cleaning thereof. Such machines have not been advantageous for use by a bowling proprietor, when he desired to clean the large number of house balls usually kept in a bowling establishment. More particular- 1y, it will be readily appreciated that it is a laborious and time consuming task to manually place and remove house balls one at a time relative to the cleaning machine. To obviate this problem, it has been proposed in the past to fixedly associate bulky and unsightly ball conveyor means with a ball cleaning machine, so that a bowling alley proprietor can clean a plurality of house balls without giving individual attention to each of the balls. This solution has been unsatisfactory in that the cleaning machine equipped with integral coveyor means has occupied an unduly large amount of space, and has rendered the cleaning machine unacceptable for general use by customers. Accordingly, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device which automatically feeds bowling balls one at a time to a cleaning machine, and which obviates the problems noted above in connection with cleaning machines having conveyor means integral therewith.

An object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device having a supply means for dirty balls, and a storage means for clean or polished balls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device as described above with means for automatically discharging balls one at a time from the supply means in response to a polished ball moving into the storage means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device which is compact, so as to occupy a minimum amount of space during use, and which is capable of having a relatively large number of balls thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bowling ball feeding device for automatically feeding balls one at a time to a cleaning machine, which is a unit separate from the cleaning machine, and which can be detached therefrom so that the cleaning machine can be used to clean customers balls as well as house balls.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a detachable ball feeding device as described in the preceding paragraph, which is in the form of a portable ball cart, so that the feeding device can be readily moved from a storage location to a position of association with the cleaning machine.

A yet further object of the invention is to associate means with a ball cart as described above for automatically feeding balls toward and away therefrom by gravity.

These and other objects of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the ball cart of the present invention in association with a ball cleaning machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the ball cart shown in FIG. 1, with certain parts removed for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational View of the ball cart illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the ball cart illustrated in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken generally along line 55 of FIG. 4, and illustrating the ball feeding mechanism in detail; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the ball car 14) is shown in association with a bowling ball cleaning machine 12. A hook H (FIG. 2) may be provided at the front of the cart for securing the same to the cleaning machine. The bowling ball cleaning machine 12 is of the type disclosed in Torresen application Ser. No. 441,551, filed Mar. 22, 1965, and includes a door member 14 having a track 16 formed on the inner surface thereof. As is described in detail in the above-mentioned application, the door 14 is movable from a position closing an opening 17 in the front of the ball cleaning machine to a first open or ball discharging position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. Door 14 is then movable to a second open or ball loading position shown in broken lines at 14a in FIG. I, and back to a position closing opening 17 and presenting the ball to suitable ball cleaning apparatus within the machine 12.

The ball cart 10 includes a frame structure defined by spaced side members 18 and 20 in the form of L-shaped channels. A front member 22, a rearwardly spaced intermediate member 24, and a further rearwardly spaced rear member 26, each in the form of L-shaped channels are suitably secured to the side members 18 and 20 as by welding or the like. An upwardly extending member 28 is secured centrally of front member 22, and is defined by a rearwardly facing U-shaped channel which terminates in an upwardly concave surface 34. A second upwardly extending member 311 is secured centrally of intermediate member 24, and is defined by a rearwardly facing U- shaped channel member. As best seen in FIG. 3, member 28 is substantially shorter than member 30. A third upwardly extending member 32 is provided centrally of rear member 26, and is defined by a forwardly facing U- shaped channel having substantially the same height as channel 30. The ball cart frame is supported by a plurality of wheels 31, one at each corner thereof; and each wheel is rotatably mounted in a suitable bracket 33 fixed to the ball cart frame.

Downwardly facing U-shaped brace members 36, 40 and 44 extend outwardly from one side of members 28, 3t) and 32 respectively, and have one leg thereof secured to the respective brace member. Additionally, a downwardly extending leg 36a of member 36 is secured to side frame member 20. Downwardly facing U-shaped brace members 38 and 42 are secured to members 30 and 32, and extend outwardly therefrom on a side opposite from brace members 46 and 44. As best seen in FIG. 3, brace member 42 is at a slightly higher elevation than brace member 38, and brace member 40 is at an intermediate elevation between the higher brace member 44 and the lower brace member 36. In a like manner braces 46 and 48, and 50 and 52 are secured to members 30 and 32 respectively, vertically above the brace members 38 and 40, and 42 and 44. Brace member 50 is positioned at a higher elevation than brace member 46, and brace member 48 is positioned at a lower elevation than brace member 52.

Brace members 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 cooperate to support a lower inclined ball storage track indicated generally at 54; and braces 46, 48, 50 and 52 cooperate to support an upper inclined ball supply track indicated generally at 56. As best seen in FIG. 4, tracks 54 and 56 are generally U-shaped in plan view, with the U-ends of the tracks being positioned at the rear of the cart, and the open ends of the tracks being positioned at the front of the cart. Each of tracks 54 and 56 has a recess at the center thereof so as to support a bowling ball for rolling movement therealong. The braces 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 each have a recessed central portion so that the balls may roll freely down the tracks 54 and 56 without interference with the brace members. In the illustrated embodiment each of the tracks is defined by a pair of spaced, generally parallel inner and outer rail members, which may be formed of rods or tubing bent into the desired configuration.

The first leg of U-shaped ball supply track 56 includes a closed portion 58 at the front of the cart, and downwardly inclined portions 60 and 62 extend rearwardly from portion 58. The second leg of U-shaped upper track 56 is defined by a pair of spaced portions 64 and 66 that are generally parallel (in plan view) with portions 60 and 62, and which are connected therewith by arcuate portions 68 and 70 respectively. As can be best seen in FIG. 3, track portions 64, 66, 68 and 70 are inclined downwardly for conveying bowling balls by gravity from the high end of track 56 adjacent closed end 58, to the low end of the track adjacent the forward end of portions 64 and 66. The forward, or discharge, end of upper track 56 includes a portion 67 extending forwardly and inwardly from track portion 66, and a parallel (in plan view) portion 74 extending forwardly and inwardly from track portion 64. Track portion 67 terminates inwardly of the forward end of the cart, as best seen in FIG. 4, and a ball discharging mechanism to be hereafter described in detail is provided forwardly thereof.

Track portion 76 extends forwardly and downwardly from track portion 74 to a position above the upper end 34 of member 28 and cooperates with the open end of the U-shaped lower storage track 54 to define an inlet thereto centrally of the cart and at an elevation to receive a ball from door mechanism 14 when it is in the full line position shown in FIG. 1. The inlet end to lower track 54 is further defined by the forwardmost ends 78 and 80 of the spaced parallel lower track members. Lower track portion 80 is secured to upper track portion 76 inwardly of the outer end thereof, and a further portion 82 extends downwardly, rearwardly, and to one side thereof. A further track portion 84 extends downwardly, rearwardly, and to one side of portion 78, and in general parallelism with track portion 82. The first leg of lower track 54 is defined by a pair of generally parallel track portions 86 and 88 extending downwardly and rearwardly from portions 82 and 84, respectively. The second leg of lower track 54 is defined by downwardly and forwardly extending track portions 90 and 92 connected with track portions 86 and 88 by arcuate portions 94 and 96 respectively. A suitable ball stop member 97 is mounted on brace 36 adjacent the forward end of the cart to retain balls on the lower track 54.

Means are provided at the rearward end of the cart for positively retaining balls on the tracks 54 and 56 as they roll around the curved portions thereof. To this end, a forwardly open, upwardly inclined U-shaped member in the form of a rod 98 is secured to the upper track 56 by having the spaced legs 100 and 102 thereof secured to the portions 60 and 64 of the track 56, as by welding or the like. A vertical brace 104 is secured to the crosspiece 106 of the member 98 centrally thereof, and includes a forwardly inclined portion 104a at the lower end thereof secured to lower track portion 96. A bracket connects brace 104 to the center of arcuate portion 68 of the outer track member of track 56. A forwardly open U-shaped rod or rail 107 is secured to the brace 104 vertically above the lower track 54, and it will be readily apparent that members 98 and 107 function to retain balls on the upper and lower tracks as the balls roll around the curved portion thereof. Member 98 may also be utilized as a handle for manual manipulation of the cart.

The means for discharging balls one at a time from the upper ball supply track 56 will be best understood from a consideration of FIGS. 5 and 6. A V-shaped support plate 108 is secured to the undersurface of track portions 67 and 74 as by welding or the like. A mounting bracket 110 is secured to support plate 108; and includes a base 111 and generally downwardly extending flanges 112, 114, and 116. Bracket 110 further includes flange 118 extending inwardly from the lower end of flange 116 generally transversely thereof. Means are provided for bolding balls on the supply track 56 while a ball is being cleaned in the cleaning machine 12, and includes a roller 120 rotatably mounted at the upper end of an arm 122. Arm 122 is mounted for pivotal movement by a transverse shaft 124 which impales the flanges 114 and 116 of the bracket 110. A spring 126 is connected between plate 108 and arm 122 to bias the roller 120 into the ball arresting position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Spring 126 is relatively weak, so that the weight of a ball rolling down the supply track 56 will pivot the arm 122 from the ball arresting position, to a ball passing position.

Means are provided for releasably retaining the ball holding means in the ball arresting position, and includes a latch member 128 engageable with a latching surface 130 on the lower portion of arm 122. Latch member 128 is fixed on a generally L-shaped arm 132 which is pivotally mounted in the base 111 and the flange 118 of bracket 110. Latch member 128 is normally retained in a position of latching engagement with the surface 130 of arm 122 as by a suitable torsion spring 134 which is connected between the base 111 of bracket 110 and the L-shaped arm 132. Arm 132 includes a portion 136 that is normally positioned in the inlet end of the lower track 54 by the spring 134, and when a polished ball is discharged from the cleaning machine 12 onto the lower track 54 by the door mechanism 14, the ball will engage the portion 136 of arm 132 to pivot the same and rotate the latch member 128 out of engagement with the latching surface 130 on arm 122. After the polished ball has rolled onto the lower track 54, spring 134 will return the arm 132 to a ball engaging position, and after the first ball on the upper track 56 has rolled past the ball arresting position defined by roller 120, the arm 122 will be returned into the arresting position by the spring 126.

The discharge end of the upper track 56 includes a movable track portion 138 fixed to a support member 140 that is pivotally mounted between the flanges 112 and 116 of bracket 110 by a transverse shaft 142. A spring 144 is connected between the bracket flange 112 and support member 140 to urge the same into a non-operating upper position shown in broken lines in FIG. 6. Detent means are provided on the support member 140 for preventing more than one ball from being discharged at a time from the upper track 56, and includes a stop 146 secured to and extending upwardly from support 140. Thus, when the lowermost ball on the upper track 56 has rolled past the ball arresting position defined by roller 120, discharge track portion 138 will be pivoted downwardly, and stop 146 will move upwardly into the path of the next lowermost ball on the upper track. A flange 147 at the rearward end of support 140 engages the undersurface of track portion 67 to locate the stop 146 in proper detenting position, and to locate track portion 138 in general alignment with track portion 67 for guiding the discharged ball onto the door mechanism 14. After the discharged ball has rolled onto the door mechanism 14, spring 144 will return the track portion 138 to the broken line position of FIG. 6, and the lowermost ball on the upper track will then roll into the ball arresting position against roller 120'.

From the foregoing it is believed clear that the operation of the ball cart is readily apparent. Dirty balls are placed upon the supply track 56 with the first or lowermost ball initially resting against the ball stop member 120. The first ball is placed in the cleaning machine 12 by manually working latch 132, and when it is discharged from the door 14 thereof onto the storage track 54, lever 132 is pivoted to release the latch 128 and free the first ball for movement toward the cleaning machine 12. As the ball moves past the ball stop member 112, the track section 138 begins to pivot downwardly, and detent 146 moves upwardly to prevent the succeeding balls from moving into the ball arresting position. When the track section 138 reaches the position shown in FIG. 6, with the flange 147 abutting against track portion 67, the track portions 76 and 138 function to guide the released ball onto the door 14 of the cleaning machine. The door 14 then moves to a position closing the opening 17 in the cleaning machine 12 to present the ball to a suitable polishing device. When the ball is polished, the door 14 then moves to the full line position shown in FIG. 1 to discharge the' same onto the storage track 54, and the above process is repeated automatically until all of the dirty balls on the supply track 56 have been polished. Thus, it is believed clear that the ball cart described above fully achieves each of the objects of the invention.

I claim:

1. A gravity feed device comprising; a frame; an inclined supply track on said frame and having a discharge end; a storage track on said frame; releasable means for holding members on said supply track; and means responsive to a member moving onto said storage track for re leasing said releasable means to free a member for movement off of the discharge end of said supply track.

2. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said tracks includes a recess at the center thereof for conveying balls therealong.

3. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 1 wherein said storage track is inclined in an opposite direction from said supply track.

4. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said tracks is generally U-shaped in plan view; and includes a pair of spaced, generally parallel legs, and a transverse connecting portion.

5. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 4 wherein said tracks are positioned in general vertical alignment.

6. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 5 wherein said supply track is positioned above said storage track.

7. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 6 wherein a first leg of said supply track is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from a high elevation at the front of the cart to an intermediate elevation at the rear of the cart, and the other leg of said supply track is inclined downwardly and forward-1y from said intermediate elevation to a low elevation at the front of the cart; and wherein a first leg of said storage track is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from a high elevation at the front of the cart to an intermediate elevation at the rear of the cart, and the other leg of said storage track is inclined downwardly and forwardly from said intermediate elevation to a low elevation at the front of said cart.

8. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 2 wherein the storage track has a ball inlet end spaced vertically below the discharge end of the supply track.

9. A gravity feed device as defined in claim 8 wherein said supply track includes a pivoted track section adjacent said discharge end for guiding balls off of said supply track.

10. A ball cart for automatically feeding balls to and from a working station comprising: a frame; a ball supply track on said frame, and adapted to receive said balls thereon; means for discharging balls from said supply track; a storage track on said frame and adapted to receive balls thereon; releasable means for holding balls on said supply track; and means responsive to a ball rolling onto said storage track for releasing said releasable means.

11. A ball cart as defined in claim 10 wherein wheels are provided on said frame for movably supporting said ball cart.

12. A ball cart as defined in claim 11 wherein means are provided for retaining said ball cart against movement relative to said working station.

13. A ball cart as defined in claim 10 in which said supply track includes a ball discharge end, and wherein said supply track is inclined downwardly toward said discharge end so that gravity defines the means for discharging a ball from said supply track.

14. A ball cart as defined in claim 10 in which said storage track includes ball stop means, and wherein means are provided for propelling a ball toward said stop means and for retaining balls thereagainst.

15. A ball cart as defined in claim 14 wherein said storage track is inclined downwardly toward said stop means so that gravity defines the means for propelling a ball toward said stop means and for retaining balls thereagainst.

16. A ball cart for automatically feeding balls one at a time to and from a polishing machine comprising: a frame; an inclined ball supply track on said frame, and adapted to receive unpolished balls thereon; a storage track on said frame and inclined in an opposite direction from said supply track, said storage track being adapted to receive polished balls thereon; means for holding balls on said supply track; latch means releasably retaining said ball holding means in a ball arresting position; means responsive to a ball rolling onto said storage track for releasing said latch means so that the weight of the ball or balls on the supply track moves said ball holding means out of said ball arresting position; and means for returning said ball holding means to said ball arresting position after one ball has rolled off of said supply track.

17. A ball cart for automatically feeding balls one at a time to and from a polishing machine comprising: a frame; an inclined ball supply track on said frame, and adapted to receive unpolished balls thereon, said supply track having a ball discharge end; a storage track on said frame and inclined in an opposite direction from said supply track, said storage track being adapted to receive polished balls thereon; means for holding balls on said supply track; latch means releasably retaining said ball holding means in a ball arresting position; means responsive to a ball rolling onto said storage track for releasing said latch means so that the weight of the ball or balls on the supply track moves said ball holding means out of said ball arresting position; detent means responsive to a ball reaching the discharge end of said supply track for preventing the remaining balls on said supply track from rolling into said ball arresting position; means for releasing said detent means in response to a ball rolling off of said supply track discharge end; and means for returning said ball holding means to said ball arresting position.

18. A ball cart for automatically feeding balls one at a time to and from a polishing machine comprising: a frame; an inclined ball supply track on said frame, and adapted to receive unpolished balls thereon, said supply track having a ball discharge end; a storage track on said frame and inclined in an opposite direction from said supply track, said storage track being adapted to receive polished balls thereon; means for holding balls on said supply track; latch means releasably retaining said ball holding means in a ball arresting position; means responsive to a ball rolling onto said storage track for releasing said latch means so that the weight of the ball or balls on the supply track moves said ball holding means out of said ball arresting position; a guide track pivotally mounted on said supply track adjacent said discharge end; and detent means on said guide track and responsive to a ball rolling therealong for preventing the remaining balls on said supply track from rolling into said ball arresting position.

19. A ball cart for automatically feeding balls one at a time to and from a polishing machine comprising: a frame; an inclined ball supply track on said frame, and adapted to receive unpolished 'balls thereon, said supply track having a ball discharge end; a storage track on said frame and inclined in an opposite direction from said supply track, said storage track being adapted to receive polished balls thereon; ball holding means mounted on said supply track for movement between ball arresting and ball passing positions; spring means urging said ball holding means toward ball arresting position; latch means releasably retaining said ball holding means in ball arresting position; means responsive to a ball rolling onto said storage track for releasing said latch means so that the weight of the ball or balls on the supply track moves said ball holding means from said ball arresting position to said ball passing position; a guide track pivotally mounted on said supply track adjacent said discharge end for movement between operating and non-operating positions; detent means on said guide track and movable therewith from a ball passing position when said guide track is in non-operative position, to a ball stopping position when said guide track is in operating position for preventing the remaining balls on said supply track from rolling into said ball arresting position until one ball rolls off of said guide track; and spring means for returning said guide track to non-operating position after said one ball rolls off of said guide track.

20. A ball cart as defined in claim 19 wherein said storage track has a ball inlet end, and the means for releasing the latch means includes a pivoted arm extending into a ball engaging position at the inlet end of said storage track.

21. A ball cart as defined in claim 20 wherein spring means urge said latch releasing arm into said ball engaging position. 1

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,484,615 2/1924 Adland 296-24 1,530,288 3/1925 Balkema 22l-301 2,329,963 9/1943 Whittle 273-37 3,157,299 11/1964 Ingham 214--44 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GRAVITY FEED DEVICE COMPRISING; A FRAME; AN INCLINED SUPPLY TRACK ON SAID FRAME AND HAVING A DISCHARGE END; A STORAGE TRACK ON SAID FRAME; RELEASABLE MEANS FOR HOLDING MEMBERS ON SAID SUPPLY TRACK; AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A MEMBER MOVING ONTO SAID STORAGE TRACK FOR RELEASING SAID RELEASABLE MEANS TO FREE A MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT OFF OF THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID SUPPLY TRACK. 